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| Decision field | Open accessEU VIES VAT Number ValidationEuropean UnionRemove | Free accountFOURSOURCE Supplier NetworkGlobalRemove | Open accessTech Pack Definition, Contents & LimitsGlobalRemove |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | |||
| Primary job | Check standards | Source production | Source production |
| Also useful for | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded |
| Area | Standards | Production | Production |
| Best for | Checking an EU supplier's stated VAT number and saving the dated validation response as one identity and invoicing control | Searching global apparel and textile production capabilities | Understanding what a tech pack must control before using a template or releasing work |
| Know before using | A valid VAT number is not proof of manufacturing capability, facility ownership, authorized bank instructions, product origin, tax advice, quality, capacity, certification, labor conditions, or delivery; names and addresses may not be returned for every country, and temporary database outages occur. | The company count is a changing platform claim. Search fields, profiles, certificates, locations, and account access do not independently verify the legal entity, factory ownership, capability, capacity, certificate validity or scope, compliance performance, delivery, or project fit. Confirm the site and subcontracting, credentials with issuers, samples, audits when appropriate, specifications, contracts, and commercial terms. | An orientation rather than a completed product record; it does not supply a universal format, licensed standard content, measurements, tolerances, construction settings, labels, approvals, compliance conclusion, or product-release authority. |
| Practical access | |||
| For | Apparel brands | Apparel brands | Apparel brands |
| Location or jurisdiction | European Union | Global | Global |
| Access | Open access | Free account | Open access |
| Format | Reference | Marketplace | Stitch Authority |
| Source type | Official registry | Commercial marketplace | Stitch Authority |
| Source and review | |||
| What the source establishes | VIES is the European Commission's online VAT Information Exchange System interface for querying national VAT databases to determine whether a submitted number is valid for intra-EU cross-border trade at the time of the request. | FOURSOURCE's current public network page presents an operator-reported global company count and country or territory search. It says logged-in users can narrow results by compliance certificates, product groups, fabric types, target groups, minimum order quantities, and other fields, with a free-trial and supplier sign-up route. | The guide cites published ISO sources for documented-information, garment-measurement, stitch, and seam boundaries plus current U.S. FTC textile and care-labeling guidance; it discloses that ISO 10013:2021's 2026 systematic review is at close-of-review stage and separates every cited authority from product-specific technical and market decisions. |
| Linked page reviewed | Jul 15, 2026 | Jul 21, 2026 | Jul 27, 2026 |
| Next review due | Oct 13, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | Jul 27, 2027 |
| Inspect | |||
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